The Best Night of Your (Pathetic) Life (Tara Altebrando)

***

         Graduating high school senior Mary has always been a goody two-shoes at school.  She's done everything she could to get into her dream school, Georgetown.  Her college dreams haven't worked out (while the dreams of classmates like jock and bully Jake Barbone, on the other hand, have).  But none of that matters now, because the annual Senior Week Scavenger Hunt is on and Mary is determined that her team will win.  If they do, it will prove that your social status in high school doesn't define you for the rest of your life.  But as the games begin, the drama that has plagued Mary throughout high school is running rampant.  She and her friends will have to rise above it all if they're going to have any chance of winning.

         This book was good, but not awesome.  Mary had her flaws as a character, but could have had more in the way of redeeming qualities to balance things out.  I'm glad I read this book this year (as opposed to the same time next year) because I think I would have become thoroughly depressed by the conclusion if I were a graduating senior.  Mary starts out feeling so determined to win, and so self-righteous, that it takes a while before she realizes that she's not the super-nice girl that she thought she was.  In the end, Mary discovers that she has wasted her life up until now obsessing over social drama and judging others without thinking about what she has done to them.  This reflection over her personality and relationships gets you thinking, and Mary does come out better in the end because of it.  For me, however, it was frustrating that most of the book was spent listening to Mary's whining.  Many of the other characters were also annoying.  To be fair, though, it was a pretty neat scavenger hunt and everyone seemed to learn a good lesson about themselves and becoming adults.

Rating: 3/5
Completed: May 26, 2013

P.S. - Sorry about my little rant there.  I usually try to give a fair review, get the whole picture, and all that . . . But sometimes books can be so annoying!  And it's funny, once there are two months between you and a book, how selective your memory can be.  I know I didn't hate this book (I did give it three stars at the time; I always try to rate a book right away) but I can't remember for the life of me what I liked about it!  Sorry, Tara Altenbrando.
Has a book ever been ruined for you by some annoying character trait or other little thing you couldn't get your mind off?  Which book, and why?  Post in the comments.

This is What Happy Looks Like (Jennifer E. Smith)

****

Author of The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight

         When Ellie O'Neill gets an email from a total stranger who meant to contact his pig-sitter, she replies only to let him know that he got the wrong address.  But one email quickly expands into an online friendship, where Ellie's identity and past just don't matter.
         While Ellie is happy to keep their relationship strictly on the internet, Graham Larkin can't help but want to meet this faceless girl.  And when he gets his chance, filming his next movie in Ellie's hometown, he jumps at it.  When Graham arrives, things get complicated.  Ellie is horrified to discover how famous Graham really is, and even more horrified at the thought of being seen in public with him. If Ellie gets media attention, the result could be the end of her peaceful, secretive life in Maine.

         This was another cute book by Jennifer E. Smith, and a perfect summer quick-read (it took me about a day to get through it).  Ellie and Graham both have their personal problems but are nevertheless likable.  Just like in Statistical Probability, the plot has an overall positive vibe.  However, there is conflict outside of the emotional strife that usually goes along with romance, so it doesn't get too boring.   If you're looking for a fun, light read, This is What Happy Looks Like would be a good choice.

Rating: 4/5
Completed: May 18, 2013

Mr. Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore (Robin Sloan)

****

         When you dive into this story, the first person you meet is Clay Jannon.  Clay is a young, modern, and unemployed graphic designer living in San Francisco.  His wanderings in search of the right job lead him to Mr. Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore, an outdated establishment in a rather seedy part of town.  Without really thinking, Clay takes the graveyard shift at the store.  To the front of the shop, there is a small selection of current-day books, which nobody ever seems to buy.  The back of the store, however, is home to a vast collection - a collection Clay is forbidden from looking at.  Most of Clay's customers borrow books from the back of the store.  These people are very eccentric, and Clay is given the task of noting their appearance and state of mind in a large logbook every time they visit.
         Soon Clay, bored of long, lonely nights at the store, begins to investigate the nature of the forbidden books.  When he discovers they're all written in code, he enlists the help of several of his friends - Neel Shah, CEO; Mat Mittenbrand, set designer; and Kat Potente, Googler - to figure out the mystery behind the store.  What they uncover leads them to a secret society trying to answer an age-old question, a question that they become determined to answer.

         People say that you should never judge a book by its cover, but let's face it: most of us do anyway.  This book's cover is simple and attractive, but better yet is the fact that it glows in the dark.  Between the great cover and the inside jacket that promised code breaking, old books, and secret societies, I was sold.  I ended up liking this book a lot.  The characters and plot highlight the very relevant transition from the printed word to the digital word.  Every character is well-developed, the kind of people you would love to meet.  The way that these book sellers, code breakers, secret keepers, and nerds interact makes for a great story.

Rating: 4/5
Completed: May 7, 2013

Macbeth (William Shakespeare)

***

         When Macbeth, a Scottish thane, hears a prophecy that he will become Thane of Cawdor and then become king, he can't help but be intrigued, even if he doesn't believe it's true.  But when the first part of the prophecy falls into place, Macbeth wonders whether he could push things along in his favor.  With encouragement from his manipulative wife, Macbeth murders King Duncan in a quest for power. However, kingship doesn't turn out the way Macbeth had expected.  Haunted by his own wrongdoing and by Duncan's loyal subjects, Macbeth takes desperate action to cling to the only thing he has left - his crown.

         As far as school assignments go, this was pretty good.  It's the second Shakespeare play I've read (the first was Romeo and Juliet).  I liked it a lot.  I could go on for quite some time explaining all of the themes and character developments we discussed in class, but I doubt many people would want to hear it!  Personally, I wouldn't seek it out outside of a school assignment, but if you do happen to like plays or older literature, you would probably like it.

Rating: 3/5
Completed: May 2, 2013

Girlchild (Tupelo Hassman)

****

         Rory Dawn Hendrix is a Girl Scout.  Or at least, that's what she likes to tell people, even though she doesn't have a troop or a leader to call her own.  Life in the trailer park where Rory lives isn't always easy, but the Girl Scout Handbook gives her the practical advice she craves in a world where very little makes sense.  And maybe with the help of the Handbook, Rory can be the first woman in her family to make something worthwhile out of her life.  

         This was a good, but sad, story.  I liked the format, which was a mix of thoughts, journal entries, made-up Girl Scout badges, and more.  Rory grows a lot as a character throughout this book.  It was interesting to see how she came to terms with her troubled past and broken family, and figured out what she wanted out of her own life.  I felt bad for her because she was stuck in life in so many ways.  In the end, though, it seemed like she had embraced her identity and taken control of her life.  I would definitely recommend Girlchild as long as you're up for a sad book.  

Rating: 4/5

Completed: April 24, 2013

Le Petit Prince (Antoine de Saint-Éxupery)

****

         A pilot has crashed his airplane in the desert and is stranded with barely enough water to survive.  It is there, while he is repairing his plane, that he meets the Little Prince.  The Little Prince is no ordinary boy - he isn't even from this planet.  He tells the story of his first love and his travels through space.  As he meets new people throughout the universe, the Little Prince comes to understand the most important things in life.

         J'ai lu Le Petit Prince avec ma classe de français l'année passé.  Je l'aimais beaucoup.  Le Petit Prince est très mignon et aussi très sage.  Les aventures du Petit Prince étaient magnifiques . . . il a fait le connaissance des personnes intéressants.  

         Just kidding.  I wouldn't actually do that to you (whether it's because you don't understand any French or because you understand enough French to know that I don't have the vocabulary to write a book review).  Anyway, we read this in French class last year and I really enjoyed it.  Le Petit Prince, or The Little Prince in English, is meant to be a children's book.  It didn't seem too juvenile, though.  Like Winnie-the-Pooh, it is cute and enjoyable no matter how old you are.  Le Petit Prince also has some seriously deep moments.  It would be a good choice to read with a younger child, but you could definitely read it by yourself as well.

Rating: 4/5

Completed: April 19, 2013

BookWatch: J.K. Rowling Strikes Again

         Today I heard some super-amazing news from my sister, who heard it from one of our friends: it was revealed yesterday (thanks to an anonymous tip and a little sleuthing) that J.K. Rowling has written another book under the pseudonym Robert Galbraith.  YAY!!!  This "debut" mystery novel, The Cuckoo's Calling, earned really good reviews.  It's been out since April, but now that everyone knows who really wrote it, it's flying off the shelves.  I checked Amazon, Barnes & Noble, the library - no luck.  It will probably be a few weeks before I get my hands on it.  In the meantime, I'll try to catch up on my reviews.  Not quite as exciting, but what can you do?
         Do you plan on reading this book?  Were you able to get ahold of a copy?  Post in the comments.